James Thomas "Jim" O'Brien (O'Brien)
October 10, 1928 — September 22, 2012
Dateline: Ryan
James T. “Jim” O’Brien
James T. “Jim” O’Brien (83) died at St. Luke’s Hospital on Saturday, September 22, 2012 following a long illness. Mass of Christian burial for Jim will be at St. Patrick Church, Monti, IA at 10:30AM on Wednesday, September 26, 2012. Burial will be in the Monti Cemetery immediately after the Mass. Friends may call at Bohnenkamp-Murdoch Funeral Home in Manchester, IA on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 from 2:00PM until 8:00PM. There will also be visitation one hour before the funeral at the church.
Jim was born on October 10, 1928 in Buchanan County, IA to Louis J. and Rose M. (Burke) O’Brien. His early childhood education was in one-room schoolhouses in Buchanan County. He graduated from Coggon High School in 1945.
As a young man, Jim played sandlot baseball with some young men from Silver Creek. He greatly enjoyed his relationship with the people from the Silver Creek community. He made friendships there that lasted a lifetime. He also began singing publically at age 15 with his parents, lending his tenor voice to numerous weddings, funerals and weekend liturgies for about 50 years.
In 1951 and 1952 Jim was in military service to his country. He spent one year as part of the Army of Occupation in Germany.
On June 6, 1953 Jim married Rose Marie Doyle at St. Patrick Church, Ryan. They moved to a farm near Monti and stayed there for 53 years until a move to Ryan due to declining health. The marriage was blessed with six children. Jim moved to The Meadows Assisted Living facility in mid-August 2011 and to the Good Neighbor Home on June 7, 2012.
Jim was a member of the Ryan Legion Post 692 and St. Patrick Catholic Church, Ryan. Jim will return to the Monti Community for the last time where he grew up and spent the first 77 years of his life. Monti was always a special place for Jim and his family. Jim was always proud of his Irish roots, visiting the “Emerald Isle” for the first time when he was stationed in Germany and then returning in 1989 with Rosie. Jim also spent more than 20 years serving on the Boards of Education of Monti Consolidated Schools and North Linn Community School District.
Jim is survived by six children, Thomas (Julie) of Cedar Rapids, Daniel (Helen) of Coggon, Timothy (Maureen) of Marion, Catherine (Steve) Werner of Manchester, Mary (David) Melchert of Monticello and Michael (Carrie) of Anamosa, 17 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. Also surviving are his brother, Donald (Bernita) of Marshalltown and 9 nieces and nephews.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents and in-laws, his wife of 55 years, Rosie (2009), his siblings, Robert O’Brien, Msgr. Joseph O’Brien and Patricia Green, brother-in-laws Richard “Butch” Green and Duane Doyle and son-in-law David Bohlke.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to Monti Community Center, American Legion, Alzheimer’s Association and the Good Neighbor Society.
Please sign the online guestbook for Jim at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.
James T. “Jim” O’Brien
James T. “Jim” O’Brien (83) died at St. Luke’s Hospital on Saturday, September 22, 2012 following a long illness. Mass of Christian burial for Jim will be at St. Patrick Church, Monti, IA at 10:30AM on Wednesday, September 26, 2012. Burial will be in the Monti Cemetery immediately after the Mass. Friends may call at Bohnenkamp-Murdoch Funeral Home in Manchester, IA on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 from 2:00PM until 8:00PM. There will also be visitation one hour before the funeral at the church.
Jim was born on October 10, 1928 in Buchanan County, IA to Louis J. and Rose M. (Burke) O’Brien. His early childhood education was in one-room schoolhouses in Buchanan County. He graduated from Coggon High School in 1945.
As a young man, Jim played sandlot baseball with some young men from Silver Creek. He greatly enjoyed his relationship with the people from the Silver Creek community. He made friendships there that lasted a lifetime. He also began singing publically at age 15 with his parents, lending his tenor voice to numerous weddings, funerals and weekend liturgies for about 50 years.
In 1951 and 1952 Jim was in military service to his country. He spent one year as part of the Army of Occupation in Germany.
On June 6, 1953 Jim married Rose Marie Doyle at St. Patrick Church, Ryan. They moved to a farm near Monti and stayed there for 53 years until a move to Ryan due to declining health. The marriage was blessed with six children. Jim moved to The Meadows Assisted Living facility in mid-August 2011 and to the Good Neighbor Home on June 7, 2012.
Jim was a member of the Ryan Legion Post 692 and St. Patrick Catholic Church, Ryan. Jim will return to the Monti Community for the last time where he grew up and spent the first 77 years of his life. Monti was always a special place for Jim and his family. Jim was always proud of his Irish roots, visiting the “Emerald Isle” for the first time when he was stationed in Germany and then returning in 1989 with Rosie. Jim also spent more than 20 years serving on the Boards of Education of Monti Consolidated Schools and North Linn Community School District.
Jim is survived by six children, Thomas (Julie) of Cedar Rapids, Daniel (Helen) of Coggon, Timothy (Maureen) of Marion, Catherine (Steve) Werner of Manchester, Mary (David) Melchert of Monticello and Michael (Carrie) of Anamosa, 17 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. Also surviving are his brother, Donald (Bernita) of Marshalltown and 9 nieces and nephews.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents and in-laws, his wife of 55 years, Rosie (2009), his siblings, Robert O’Brien, Msgr. Joseph O’Brien and Patricia Green, brother-in-laws Richard “Butch” Green and Duane Doyle and son-in-law David Bohlke.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to Monti Community Center, American Legion, Alzheimer’s Association and the Good Neighbor Society.
Please sign the online guestbook for Jim at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.
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